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Kevin Weekes
| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada | career_start = 1995 | career_end = 2009 | draft = 41st overall | draft_year = 1993 | draft_team = Florida Panthers }} Kevin Weekes (born on April 4, 1975) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who has played for the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is currently a colour commentator on Hockey Night in Canada and a studio analyst for NHL on the Fly. Playing Career Kevin's career began with the Owen Sound Platers of the Ontario Hockey League. He also had a brief stint with the Ottawa 67's. Chosen 41st overall by the Florida Panthers in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, he joined the team for the 1997-98 NHL season, going 0–5–1 in 11 appearances for the Panthers. The following summer, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in a trade for Pavel Bure and compiled a 6–15–5 record in 31 appearances over a season and a half before being traded to the New York Islanders halfway through the 1999-00 NHL season. At the conclusion of that season, Kevin was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning where he played until late in the 2001-02 NHL season when he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. He played in a tandem with Arturs Irbe, helping lead the Hurricanes to the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals while recording two shutouts in the playoffs, establishing a Hurricanes team record. He signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent prior to the 2004-05 NHL lockout, winning his first start with the Rangers on October 5, 2005 in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Kevin's time with the Rangers looked to be promising until an injury kept him out and he lost his number one spot to Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist came in to play in place of him and played exceptionally well. He remained in good spirits upon his healthy return to the team even though he had been bumped to the number two spot and back up to the rookie (Lundqvist). Kevin became an unrestricted free agent following a less than stellar 2006–07 season. On July 5, 2007, he signed with the New Jersey Devils to serve as a backup to All-Star Martin Brodeur. In the 2008-09 NHL season, Brodeur suffered an injury which sidelined him for almost the entire season, leaving Kevin and Scott Clemmensen battling for the number one spot. With the two battling, Kevin would again see himself in the playoffs with the team losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7 of the quarter finals. On September 27, 2009, Kevin announced his retirement from playing. Career Statistics Regular season Playoffs Personal Life Kevin's parents emigrated from Barbados to Canada and attended Dr. Norman Bethune Collegiate Institute. The reason that Kevin sometimes wore jersey number 80 was he wanted to wear 00, however, the NHL does not allow a player to wear single or double zero jerseys. He chose the number that most closely resembled 00. Upon signing with the New Jersey Devils, as a result of former general manager Lou Lamoriello's policy of wearing jerseys 1–40 with exception of marquee players, Kevin was given jersey number 1. He wore 00 in junior hockey when he played for the Ottawa 67's. Category:1975 births Category:Florida Panthers draft picks Category:New Jersey Devils players Category:New York Rangers players Category:Carolina Hurricanes players Category:Tampa Bay Lightning players Category:Florida Panthers players Category:New York Islanders players Category:Vancouver Canucks players Category:Canadian ice hockey goaltenders